Ignition device



L. RANNEY, I. w. DISSETTE AND F. E. TYRRELL.

IGNITION D EVICE.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNIE 10. I919.

Patented May 25, 1920.

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Inventor-s. L. fiann 2 a 6 n0 6 AWI m M o. a mhM /m m 3 M 1 3 u w L aFE.Tyrre L, J W Disseite, By E: I, .I

L. RANNEY, J. W.'D|SSETTE AND'F. E.. TYRRELL.

IGNITION DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED. JUNE 10. 1.9.19.

Patented May 25, 1920.

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RUNNING P05] 7'ION a 1 Z? W; rw w ""013 an IaT r .0 0 mw a fl UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LED RANNEY, JOHN W. DISSETTE, AND FRANKLIN TYRBELL, OF WASHINGTON,DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA; SAID RANNEY AND TYRBELL ASSIGNOBS TO SAIDDISSET'I'E.

IGNITION DEVICE.

Application filed June 10,

To all whom it may concern:

B?) it known that we, LEO RANNEY, JOHN W. citizens of the United States,residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have mvented certain newand useful Improvements in, Ignition Devices, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to an improved 1gnition device for use inconnection with internal combustion engines and has as one of itsprincipal objects to provide a device whereby a spark gap may be placedin each of the spark plug circuits of the engine for cleaning the plugsat the sparking po'mts thereof and insuring uninterrupted fir g of theengine. r

The invention has as a further object to provide a device of thischaracter which may, at will, be manipulated for closing the gaps orvarying the length of the gaps but wherein means will be provided forpreventing the interposition in the plug circuits of gaps of unduelength.

And the invention has as-a still further object to provide a devicewhich will successfully combine extremesimplicity of construction withentire efiiciency and which will be adapted for general use in connec-Ition with automobile engines.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter. In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view showing our improved device applied tothe instrument board of a conventional type of motor vehicle,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken centrally through thedevice.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the adjustable electrode-carryingbar of the device in detail,

Fig. 4 is a'horizontal sectional view,

Fig. 5 is a perstpective view showing the ad'usting screw 0 the devicein detail, and

igs. 6, 7 and 8'are detail views showing diflerent positions of theadjustable electrode-carrying bar.

In carrying the invention into eli'ect, an oblong casing '10 isemployed, this casing being closed at its rear side by a closure platg11 forming. the inner side wall of the casing. The casing, as well asthe closure plate 11, is preferably constructed of suitable insulatingmaterial and projecting trem the casing at its ends are ears 12 by whichSpecification of letters Patent.

issnr'rn and FRANKLIN E. TYRBELL,

' the bore at one side thereof is Patented May 25, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 303,033.

the device may, as particularly shown in Fig. 4, be secured to aninstrument board, as conventionally shownat 13, or to any other approvedpart of a motor vehicle. Formed through the end walls of the easmg aresuitable openings 14 for ventilating the casin Extending through thebottom wall of the casing and fixed thereto is a series of alinedbinding posts 15 suitably spaced longitudinally of the casing andinsulated thereby with respect to each other. In this connection, it maybe observed that the present device is intended for use in connectionwith a four cylinder engine and will be so described. However, it isbelieved that the modifications necessary to adapt the device forengines having either a greater or less number of cylinders will beobvious. The binding posts 15 are preferably cast in the bottom wall ofthe casing and are designed to receive secondary igmtion circuit wires.Set into the front wall of the casing is a centrally located socket 16and fitted through the cover plate 11 opposite this socket is a sleeve17. Journaled at its inner end within said socket and rotatably fittinsleeve is the inner section 18 of an adjusting screw. This screw sectionis provided in its outer end portion with an axial bore and fittedthrough the section to extend across a tangentially dis osed stop pin 19projecting at its outer en portion from the screw section. Slidabl'yfitted within the core I of the inner screw section is the outer section20 of said screw. The inner end portion of the outer screw section isprovided at one side with a flat face to coact with the inner end of thestop in 19 so that the outer section may be turne for rotating the innersection and fixed upon the outer screw section at its through theholding the inner screw section against out ward movement through thesleeve. The

inner screw section carries a bar 291. This bar is formed of suitableins'ulatir material and at its lower edge is provide with a medialdepending boss 23 in which is embedded? hushingilet. As particularlyshown in *ig. 2, the inner section of the adjusting screw is threadedthrough this bushing and termed on the upper edge'ot the bar adjacentits ends are upstanding lugs 25 coacting with the top wall of the casingfor holding the bar against rotation. Extending through the bar is aseries of spaced electrodes 26 cast into the bar and insulated therebywith respect to each other. The electrodes 26 are preferably arrangedover the binding posts 15 and extending between. and electricallyconnecting corresponding posts and electrodes are suitable flexibleconductors 27. Extending through the front wall of the casing andpreferably cast therein is a series of electrodes 28' insulated withrespect to each other by the casing and mounted to cooperate at theirinner ends with the forwardly projecting ends of the electrodes 26. Attheir outer ends, the electrodes 28 carry binding nuts designed tosecure circuit wires connecting the electrodes in series with the sparkplugs of the engine.

The section 20 of the adjusting screw is freely received through theinstrument board 13 .,and secured to the front face of said board tosurround this section of the screw is a dial plate 29. In thisconnection,

it is to be observed that since the section,--

20 of the screw is slidably engaged with the section 18, the e'fiectivelength of the screw may be varied to accord with varying thicknesses ofdifferent instrument boards or other vehicle arts to which the devicemay be secured. xtending through the section 20 beneath the plate 29 isa stop pin 30 holding the section against outward displacement. Asparticularly shown in Fig. 5, the dial plate is? provided with indiciadesignating three different working positions of the adjusting screw.The first of these positions is identified by the letter S indicatingthe starting position. The second position is identified by the letter Rindicating running position, and the third position 1S identified by theletter C indicating cleaning position. In order that the adjusting screwmay be accurately set, the knob 21 of said screw is preferably providedwith a pointer 31. Projecting inwardly from the cover plate 11 above theadjusting screw-is a stop pin 32 and as will now be observed, the stoppin 19 upon the inner screw section 18 is adapted to cooperate with thepin 32 for limiting the screw in its turning movement in oppositedirections.

In using our improved device, the adjusting screw is normally set atstarting position when as particularly shown in Fig. 6, the electrodes26 will contact with the electrodes 28 so that the plug circuits will beuninterrupted. However, after the engine has been started, the adjustingscrew is' then moved 'to running position when, as particularlyshown inFig. 7 the bar 22 will be shifted to position the electrodes 26 awayfrom the inner ends of the electrodes 28. Gaps will thus be interposedin the plug circuits and the presence of these gaps Wlll, of course,greatly increase the intensity of the spark at the respective sparkplugs so that the engine will thus be properly fired. Furthermore, sincethe presence of a gap in each of the plug circuits will, of course,greatly increase the tension of a current flowing to the respectiveplugs, it has been found in practice that a plug which has on account ofbeing subjected to excessive heat, developed a tendency to shortcircuit, may thus be caused to fire uninterruptedly. Dependable ignitionmay thus be had for ordinary running. For cleaning the spark plugs, theadjusting screw is moved to cleaning position when, as particularlyshown in ig. 8, the bar 22 will be shifted to form an extreme gapbetween each pair of coacting electrodes 26 and 28. An extremelyintensified spark will accordingly occur at each of the spark plugs andit has been found in practice that this greatly inten-vv sified spark atthe respective plugs will soon result in cleaning the plugs of all sootor oil thereon. Accordingly,'fouling of the plugs may, withoutdifliculty, always be easily overcome. As will be noted, the stop pin 19will engage the stop pin 32 when the adjusting screw has been rotated tocleaning position. Consequently, it will be impossibleto so adjust thedevice that sparking gaps of undue length will be formed between thecoacting electrodes thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what'is claimed as new is:

1; In a device of the character described, the combination of a bindingpost, an electrode insulated with respect to the binding post, adjustinmeans, and a second electrode sustaine by the adjusting means andelectrically connected with the binding post, the adjusting means beingoperable for positioning the latter electrode with respect to the firstelectrode.

2. Ina device of the character described, the cornbination of a bindingpost, an electrode insulated with respect to the binding post, adjustingmeans, a second electrode electrically connected with the binding post,andmeanssustained by the adjusting means and carrying the secondelectrode, the adjusting meansv being ,operable for shifting the lattermeans to position the second electrode with respect to the firstelectrode.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a bindingpost, an electrode, means insulating the, binding'post and electrodewith respect to each other, adjusting means upon said 'first mentionedmeans, a second electrode electrically connected with the binding. post,and insulating means sustained by said adjusting means and carrying thesecond electrode, the adjusting means being operable for positioning thelatter electrode with respect to the first electrode.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing,a binding post carried thereby, an electrode upon the casing insulatedwith respect to the binding post, an adjusting screw journaled upon thecasing, a bar mounted upon and sustained by said screw within thecasing, and an elec trode mounted upon the bar and electricallyconnected with the binding post, the screw being rotatable for shiftingthe bar to position the latter electrode wlth respect to the firstelectrode.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing,a binding post upon the casing, an electrode upon the casing insulatedwith respect to the binding post, rotatable adjusting means carried bythe casing, a second electrode electrically connected with the bindingpost, means carrying the second electrode and sustained by the adjustingmeans within the casing, said last mentioned means being loose withrespect to the casing, and stop means carried by said last mentionedmeans and coacting with the casing for holding the latter means againstrotation, the adjusting means being rotatable for shifting theelectrode-carrying means to position the second electrode with respectto the first electrode.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casingof insulating material, a binding post carried thereby, an electrodemounted upon the casing and insulated thereby with respect to thebinding post, an adjusting screw journaled upon the casing, aninsulating bar mounted upon and sustained by said screw withinthecasing, the bar being provided with lugs coacting with the casing forholding the bar against rotation, and an electrode carried by the barand electrically connected with the binding post, the screw beingrotatable for shifting the bar to position the latter electrode withrespect to said first mentioned electrode.

7. In a device of the character described, thecombination of a casing, abinding post carried thereby, an electrode upon the casing, the bindingpost and electrode being insulated with respect to each other, a secondelectrode electrically connected with the binding post, means supportingthe second electrode within the casing for adjustment with respect tothe first electrode and including an adjusting screw formed ofoperatively connected sections whereby the effective length of the screwmay be varied, a plate upon the screw, and means carried by the outersection of the screw and coacting with said plate for holding the outerscrew section from disengagement from the inner section of said screw.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a bindingpost, an electrode insulated with respect to the binding post, adjustingmeans, a second electrode sustained by the adjusting means andelectrically connected with the binding post, the

adjusting means being operable for positioning the latter electrode withrespect to the first electrode, and stop means secured to said adjustingmeans for limiting the adjustment of the second electrode away from thefirst electrode. I

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casin abinding post carried thereby, an electrode upon the casing insulatedwith respect to the binding post, a second electrode electricallyconnected with the binding post, means sup porting the second electrodewithin the easing for adjustment with respect to the first electrode andincluding an adjusting screw journaled upon the casing, a stop pincarried by the casing, and a stop pin carried by said screw and movableto engage the first pin forlimiting the second electrode in itsadjustment away from the first electrode.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

LEO RANNEY. 1 s} JOHN w. DISSETTE. L. s.]

FRANKLIN E. TYRRELL. [1 s.]

